by Greg Gangle – WEG Media
Campbellville, ON — A trio of C$30,000 Peaceful Way eliminations took place Thursday evening at Mohawk Racetrack featuring the continent’s top freshmen trotting fillies.
Win Missy B and driver Trevor Ritchie gave the 1-9 favorite, Check Me Out, her first career defeat in nine tries to advance to next week’s C$447,000 final.
Ritchie wasted little time in the early going as he sent Win Missy B to the front past the opening panel in :29.1. Tim Tetrick angled Check Me Out to the outside and guided her to the front past the half in :59.1.
Check Me Out took her six rivals past three-quarters in 1:28.3. Win Missy B was stalking in the pocket with Miss Majestic and Sylvain Filion tracking her.
Turning for home, Check Me Out tried to trot away from her rivals, but Win Missy B was able to stay with the undefeated filly and reached the wire first in the final strides to score the 7-2 upset. Check Me Out stayed for second, with Miss Majestic third.
“I was very impressed with her tonight,” Ritchie said following the race. “She’s a great filly to drive and was on both lines. She was nice and relaxed and when Tim come at me, she let him go and stayed at her task.”
Turning for home, Ritchie wasn’t sure if his filly would be able to hand Check Me Out her first career defeat.
“She was telling me that she still had some trot left turning for home,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to catch Tim’s filly or not, but when I moved her over she started to go forward and then I realized that we do have a shot here.”
Win Missy B, a daughter of Conway Hall-Winning Missbrenda, captured her fourth victory in seven starts for trainer Charlie Norris for owner Robert Key. The winner has selected post four for the final.
Jimmy Takter, who was recently inducted into the US Living Hall of Fame, guided Superstar Hanover to victory in 1:57.
The daughter of Cantab Hall-Star Hanover immediately took command from post four ahead of her six rivals to lead past the first station in :28.3.
The pace slowed heading towards the half which allowed Randy Waples to angle out from third with Witch Way and strike the front to lead past the mid-way point in :59.3.
Heading around the final turn, Takter once again called upon Superstar Hanover as she brushed past Witch Way and was one top by 2-3/4 lengths past three-quarters in 1:29.2.
Down the stretch, Superstar Hanover drew away from her rivals to score a convincing victory by 5-3/4 lengths. Witch Way stayed for second with Princess Fortune and Anthony MacDonald getting up for the show spot.
Superstar Hanover scored her second career victory in five lifetime starts for Takter, who trains the filly for his wife, Christina Taker, and partners John Fielding and Louie Camara.
The winner paid $3.00 for the win as the post time favorite.
Aunt Mel and driver Tim Tetrick posted the 9-1 upset in the final elimination, stopping the clock in 1:58.
With two horses making a break behind the gate and one scratch, Xquisite Chocolate and Trevor Ritchie led the field past the first panel in :29.
The pace slowed heading towards the half as Xquisite Chocolate reached it in 1:00.2. Aunt Mel was in the pocket with Love Walked In and Andy Miller sitting third. Scott Zeron positioned Miss Paris off the pace in fourth.
Before the three-quarter pole, Tetrick pulled the right line and quickly sent Aunt Mel around Xquisite Chocolate to lead past three-quarters in 1:30.1.
Down the stretch, Aunt Mel was in command and fended off a late challenge from Miss Paris with Love Walked In settling for third.
Aunt Mel, a two-time winner, is a daughter of Yankee Glide-Kimmie Hall, is trained by Erv Miller and owned by Mary Jane Anderson. She paid $20.70 for the win.
Next week’s rich final will begin with the following post positions:
1) Miss Majestic
2) Superstar Hanover
3) Aunt Mel
4) Win Missy B
5) Princess Fortune
6) Miss Paris
7) Witch Way
8) Xquisite Chocolate
9) Love Walked In
10) Check Me Out